The present invention relates to an apparatus for repairing damaged bodies in motor vehicles. Currently known apparatus for repairing damaged bodies in motor vehicles can be divided into two different structural groups.
One group comprises a substantially upright pulling arm carried by a base frame, essentially consisting of a straight longitudinal member provided with hooking means and a repair bench on which the motor vehicle to be repaired stands. The upright arm can be rotated about its own base end, notches being provided for the engagement of locking fingers thereinto. The positioning of the pulling arm can be therefore accomplished in a discrete manner, due to the distance existing between the locking notches, which brings about the fact that the pulling position is not always perfectly correct. Operation of the arm takes place by the use of a hydraulic jack connecting the base frame to said arm. However it is known that this configuration can enable only a tractive action on the body's deformed part and not a thrust action as well which, if necessary, must be performed by other appropriate equipments.
The second group of known apparatus comprises a base structure which is fastened to the repair bench and to the end of which a pulling chain is secured. Acting on said chain is a hydraulic jack fastened to the base structure itself. In this case as well, the orientation of the pulling direction appears difficult and a thrust action on the deformed part of the body to be straightened is also impossible and, as in the preceding case, it must be performed by other equipments.
It is also to be noted that in both cases during the straightening step the pulling direction is modified, which involves disadvantages as regards accuracy in the straightening operation unless continuous adjustments are carried out by the operator, but this is time-consuming.